Abilene weather in May

In May, Abilene sees average daytime highs of 85°F and overnight lows near 63°F, with 2.9 in of rain across 9.1 wet days and about 13.6 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 82°F in the first days to 88°F by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Abilene's 12th-clearest and 2nd-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Abilene's year-round climate.

Daytime high
85°
5th warmest
Overnight low
63°
8th coldest
Rainfall
2.9 in
9.1 wet days
Daylight
13 h 42 min
5:45 AM – 7:25 PM
Cloud cover
47%
12th clearest
Wind
11 mph
2nd windiest
Solar energy
6.48 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.6
out of 10

Abilene is city in Taylor and Jones counties in Texas, United States, that is the county seat of Taylor County.

Density
8,909/km²
people per km²
Founded
1881

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 82°F in the first days to 88°F by the end.

A typical May day in Abilene reaches about 85°F in the afternoon and slips back to 63°F overnight — a 22°F spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 74°F and 96°F. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 7°F warmer than April and about 7°F cooler than June.

40°60°80°100°151015202531
Avg high (°F)Avg low (°F)
18158
28258
38258
48259
58259
68260
78360
88360
98361
108361
118461
128462
138462
148562
158563
168563
178564
188664
198664
208664
218665
228765
238765
248766
258766
268866
278867
288867
298867
308967
318968

How May really feels in Abilene

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 90°F and 0 that feel at or below 32°F — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 90°F
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ 32°F
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Abilene weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 5th-warmest and 1st-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°F)Rainfall (inches)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan57° / 35°1.24.30.710.14.9
Feb62° / 38°1.54.60.610.86.0
Mar70° / 46°2.05.90.211.87.3
Apr78° / 54°2.25.70.112.87.7
May85° / 63°2.99.1013.65.6
Jun92° / 71°2.47.7014.13.7
Jul95° / 74°1.55.3013.92.9
Aug94° / 73°1.85.9013.23.2
Sep87° / 66°2.35.9012.25.5
Oct77° / 55°2.55.6011.27.8
Nov66° / 44°1.640.310.37.2
Dec58° / 36°1.44.40.69.95.0

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 47% of the time in May, the cloudiest month of the year.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 36%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16832
26733
36733
46634
56535
66436
76436
86337
96238
106238
116238
126238
136238
146238
156238
166238
176139
186238
196238
206238
216436
226436
236436
246436
256436
266535
276535
286634
296733
306733
316733

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Abilene gets around 2.9 in of rain over 9.1 wet days in May, the wettest month. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 29% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days. The odds climb toward the end of the month.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
125
226
326
426
527
627
727
827
927
1027
1127
1227
1327
1428
1528
1628
1729
1829
1930
2030
2131
2231
2332
2432
2533
2633
2734
2834
2934
3034
3135

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 35% of days. Sticky, muggy-or-worse air turns up on roughly 11% of them.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)Oppressive (%)
162181730
260181930
358182040
455192240
554192340
651192550
749192650
848192850
946202960
1044203060
1143203160
1241213170
1340213270
1439213370
1537213480
1635213580
1734213690
18322137100
19312138110
20292138120
21272139130
22252140140
23242141150
24222142160
25202042170
26192043180
27172044190
28161944200
29141945211
30131945231
31121844241

Wind in May

Winds average 11 mph in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 11 mph on the calmest days to 12 mph at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (mph)Feels
112light breeze
212light breeze
312light breeze
412light breeze
512light breeze
612light breeze
712light breeze
812light breeze
912light breeze
1012light breeze
1112light breeze
1212light breeze
1312light breeze
1412light breeze
1512light breeze
1612light breeze
1712light breeze
1811light breeze
1911light breeze
2011light breeze
2111light breeze
2211light breeze
2311light breeze
2411light breeze
2511light breeze
2611light breeze
2711light breeze
2811light breeze
2911light breeze
3011light breeze
3111light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 18 min at the start of May to 14 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:58 AM to 5:38 AM, and sunset from 7:14 PM to 7:35 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.35:587:14
213.35:577:15
313.35:567:15
413.35:557:16
513.45:547:17
613.45:537:18
713.45:537:18
813.55:527:19
913.55:517:20
1013.55:507:21
1113.55:497:21
1213.65:487:22
1313.65:487:23
1413.65:477:24
1513.65:467:24
1613.75:457:25
1713.75:457:26
1813.75:447:26
1913.75:437:27
2013.75:437:28
2113.85:427:28
2213.85:427:29
2313.85:417:30
2413.85:417:31
2513.95:407:31
2613.95:407:32
2713.95:397:32
2813.95:397:33
2913.95:387:34
3013.95:387:34
3114.05:387:35

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 6.48 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.91 kWh/m² to a high of 7.04 kWh/m² in July across the year — May's 6.48 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
16.5Intense
26.5Intense
36.5Intense
46.5Intense
56.5Intense
66.5Intense
76.5Intense
86.5Intense
96.5Intense
106.5Intense
116.5Intense
126.5Intense
136.5Intense
146.5Intense
156.5Intense
166.5Intense
176.5Intense
186.5Intense
196.5Intense
206.5Intense
216.5Intense
226.5Intense
236.5Intense
246.6Intense
256.6Intense
266.6Intense
276.6Intense
286.7Intense
296.7Intense
306.7Intense
316.7Intense
Planning a trip in May

Is May a good time to visit Abilene?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

5.6
Sightseeing
6th-best month of the year
7.1
Beach & pool
2nd-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Abilene for sightseeing. The water and warmth also suit a beach or pool day.

What to pack for Abilene in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, Abilene sees daytime highs around 85°F and nights near 63°F. Pack light clothes and sun protection. Worth having: rain gear. About 9 days see rain.

light clothessun protectionrain gear

UV index in Abilene in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 10 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Abilene peaks around July 19 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 3 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highExtremeVery highHighModerateJul 19UV 11Dec 20UV 3
UV index (midday)Level
Jan4Moderate
Feb5High
Mar6High
Apr9Very high
May10Very high
Jun10Extreme
Jul11Extreme
Aug11Extreme
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov5Moderate
Dec3Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Abilene?

Abilene sits at 32.4°N, 99.7°W, 1,719 ft above sea level, in United States. The nearest listed city is Breckenridge, 53 mi away.

Topography around Abilene

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 2, 10 and 50 miles of Abilene.

Within 2 miles, the terrain around Abilene has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 125 ft around an average of 1,722 ft above sea level; within 10 miles, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 417 ft; within 50 miles, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,453 ft.

The land around Abilene is covered by artificial surfaces (57%) and trees (22%) within 2 miles, grassland (57%) within 10 miles, and grassland (59%) and cropland (20%) within 50 miles.

2 miles
125 ft
10 miles
417 ft
50 miles
1,453 ft
treesshrubsgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Breckenridge 53 mi · Brownwood 67 mi · San Angelo 80 mi · Stephenville 91 mi · Big Spring 103 mi · Weatherford 115 mi · Wichita Falls 124 mi · Benbrook 133 mi

United States travel facts

Power plugs
Type A / B
120 V · 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 100% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$90,027
2025
Happiness
6.8 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
98%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
5.8
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
12.7
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
Religion
Protestant 47%unaffiliated 23%Roman Catholic 21%Jewish 2%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Abilene (32.4487°, -99.7331°, elevation 1,719 ft), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).